Bound to The Books End
by Artreonisdies
Summary: Yaruka Hidemichi was one slob of a man, ignoring his family's advice to encourage sociability, in hopes of getting him a girlfriend, as he dedicated a large majority of his time reading and watching a beloved series, Naruto. Though, after countless dreams of being within the radar of Naruto himself, a few properties seem to indicate it's all real. (Apologies for issues)
1. Chapter 1

**DISCLAIMER**: Artreonisdies owns no characters, lore, or the function of the universe within this story. He only owns his featured OC.

OC has been tested for Mary Sue qualities, is discovered to be in a safe range.

This story only contains _one_ OC throughout the entire fic. His name is Yaruka Hidemichi.

Is somewhat of an au.

Takes place around the events of the chunin exams (of the anime) and onwards.

• **CHAPTER ONE** •

An abysmal humming probed the focused ears of the only inhabitant remaining from inside the house; a small boy, among the late years prior to adulthood, being only perched within the comforts of his bed. From in his grasp held a book, which displayed minimal yet visible damage to the pages corner, fingernails seeping with unholy excitement into the delicate material, and eventually, scratching off the ink. Though, that had been the last thing he wished to happen, his manga holding a fragile price from within his heart, a once lonely void now brimmed with his devotion - his shelves spoke of his enthusiasm in physical silence. Thus, whilst his nose headed into the story, reality had become a forgotten concept, and only whispered as background noise, until the humming had constructed its own form. An alarm - it claimed to be - set only minutes before his intended departure, its vibrations shivering against his polished furniture, though being no less ignored from the boy himself. Without an intent to peel his focus from his book, he only blinked, a gentle attempt to shake off the ringing.

He considered himself to be ill, for a moment, assessing the sound and comparing it with the hollowness of his mind, though no thought poked the field of its purpose, thus he continued to ignore the provoking shriek. It had only been minutes well after it began before he closed his hobby, black brows pressed together, his memory neglecting the reason for the buzz, falling victim to its lure. His eyes scanned what he made his bedroom - though it had only consisted of ghost white walls and furniture built of birch, he was eager to decorate it, saving a singular spot above his bed for an anime poster of some kind - to discover what had caught his focus, when the switch inside his head had finally flickered to the idea: _he had somewhere to be_.

His heart skipped, for the time, for the reason, for his inability to mature. He had a date, for that night, and had intended to prepare hours before, though he had only glued himself to the pile of manga stacked beside him, all consisting of volumes from the _Naruto_ series, which had recently become his passion. He stared down at what he had chosen to wear - his black sweat pants stained with unforgiving paint, and an oversized gift: a hoodie bought from a concert he hadn't been able to attend - thus insulting himself internally, tearing apart the mechanism of his drawers to dig out decent enough clothing, dressing himself as he tumbled down the stairs, forcing his feet into visibly old socks, decorated with small pixelated images of pugs. He hadn't the time to brush his teeth, his hair, or refresh his mind, not as the bus neared the stop parked by his house. Jeans had forced its way to his waist, the large apparel hugged around his torso soon became replaced with a simple tee - which he had discovered was an unfortunate size, tightening around his shoulder blades. He hoped the woman he planned to meet hadn't a mind for judgement, in case his underdressed self hadn't matched her invisible quota. _Too old_, he caught himself muttering, wrapping his fingers around his wallet, sprawled upon the table, _too old to be reading manga like this._

As dangerous as he considered, he hadn't the time nor motivation to lock his front door behind him. The external exit slammed against the brick of his wall, a loud shudder echoing within the empty streets, catching the idea of the middle aged bus driver, who eyed him as he sprinted across the ghostly road, hopping to bring his feet to meet with his shoes. His punctuality gutted his dating life, as it seemed, seeing as only busied mothers clutching their children and wrestling them to return to the comforts of the stroller only held up the wait, forcing the boy to kick at the stone with pure impatience, thus earning a dishonest glare from a woman gripping to the rail, an unkempt boy clinging to her hip. Yaruka only scowled in response, inviting himself to shove passed the woman, embracing the coiled air from within the vehicle. He swung to be seated by the door, until the very last figure had trudged through its wide exit, the doors slamming shut became music to his ears. _Thirty minutes_, warned the estimated time of its route, _thirty minutes until the city_.

He should have at least brought a volume along with him, he regretted, having to now bask in his boredom with daydreams among the faceless crowd cramped inside the vehicle. His head prodded against the windows glass, his own mirrored reflection casting his signature frown, a line drawing itself between his eyebrows, as if tired of constantly being held as a tool to express frustration. He sighed at his condition; from the stubble peeking from beneath his jawline, to the eye bags holding his luggage consisting of the lack of sleep he received each night, he wondered if others had agreed to assuming he was homeless during the times he eventually existed among the public. His hair, black and skewed, held no resonance of ever being a child of elegance, as this boy had been simply born to exist as a disaster. His final glance to his appearance, he brought a string of his hair and pulled it to his nose, now only hoping his date will not fall to assume he doesn't regularly wash his hair, a musky odour omitting from it, as well as a lingering coating of grease. Yaruka only sighed, his eyes fluttering to shut into a tight blink, though without the intention to open.

If only he grasped the lifestyle of the characters written in his manga collection; a scythe meister on the hunt for souls, a powerful being in search for orbs to grant a wish, or perhaps, even a training ninja discovering his own ability. His smile jaunted upward momentarily at that thought, if he had been one to train within Iruka Sensei's radar, he wondered which team he would have landed within, and perhaps, if Naruto had made an effort to be his friend. He wondered the results if he were the child's main supporter, if the boy had someone to love him, and rid him of loneliness. Though an unlikelihood dwelled within his mind, as his dislike for children would overpower the fondness expressed toward Naruto. His second read through overcame his free time, thus came the thoughts of a fictional jealousy, only admiring the carefree lifestyle of a ninja, and how simple he would be born to live. His father had often scolded him for his childish behaviour, singing a song of anger towards his self expression, thus encouraging to focus on mature topics. He declined, and soon, all his happiness had belong to the energetic blond boy in the orange tracksuit.

He found his method to pass time had become involved with the series itself, recently. Bored? He'd daydream about eating ramen with Team 7. Angry? He'd imagine Hinata's gentle voice encouraging his mind to stretch into a calming state. Happy? He thought to high five Kiba out of excitement. Though, his dreams were just dreams' and nothing more, as he had to remind himself on a regular basis. His obsession had grown obscure, during this point in his life. He attempted to recall the last he had seen his family, or any of his friends, though he only got glimpses of himself communicating to the outside world through his computers screen. Even as he envisioned the woman he was to meet, she had no face - no genuine face of an everyday woman, but the face of Sakura, shoulder length pink hair included. With a sigh, he pressed the base of his forehead against the glass window, a shielded view of the life outside, and closed his vision until the only shade he spotted was the black of his eyelids.

The gentle whir of the wheels beneath him had soon been drowned out, either through mere habituation, or clear ignorance. The world had felt to fade around him, a lack of life now evident to his ears, a soulful whisper to his consciousness. A relaxation of a sort engulfed his spirit, almost humming him into a light sleep. He recalled himself being a light sleeper, and if he hadn't woken by the arrival of the second stop, then he would surely be ill for his condition. But, nevertheless, sleep devoured him whole, lulling him into a state of wishing. _How would my life venture if I had grown as a leaf ninja?_


	2. Chapter 2

• **CHAPTER TWO** •

Yaruka woke whilst his back had been pressed against a soft surface, though widely uncomfortable and far too large to be recognised as a bus seat. A lumped texture poked at the back of his head, a gentle hum of a breeze kissing the rim of his ear, and he had soon questioned if he had ventured too far within his dream. An ache stung to his forehead, a dizziness within his mind, as he attempted a forced wake up call, to ensure his placement in a cramped bus, reeking of only sweat and disappointment. He had grown confident in time that his sleep had definitely consumed him, as well as the illness of his current condition, forcing a trait of deep sleep onto his lightly treading mind. A buzz of unfamiliar insects chirped within his ability, a radar inspecting his surroundings without a visual detection, his supposed zen dream becoming only a reality he could appreciate, with both his eyes shut.

Footsteps approached him, one set heavy and slow, whilst the other raced with an energetic stride, perhaps performing circles around the slower of the two. _This is simply a dream,_ Yaruka reminded himself, _they will walk over me, as they have done during this method of relaxation_. No bothersome interruptions had dared to creep its way into a crack of happiness ever before in dreams, especially during the hours of excessive manga reading, anime watching, or a forceful amount of food as inspired by Naruto. An instruction to his name, as suggested by a therapist enforced by his mother, had been a mode of meditation, a relaxation to have forgotten the ache of the outside desires, designed to encourage him to embrace sociability. He hadn't.

"Hey, Pervy Sage! There's a dead guy over there," a roughened voice shrieked from a distance, which had been identified as the lively character. The child's strides bounded forward, and with a curiosity stroking him, Yaruka neighboured his eyebrows, the crease a thick line, as he reprocessed the words that have entered the cave of his ear. _Pervy Sage? Roughened Voice? _A release of air escaped his nose, a gruff breath to his figure, as a senseless confusion washed over him. His chest rose, heaving to the cleanliness of the outside environment, clear to be a separation of the bus his physical self perched upon_. Pervy Sage. Lively strides. Roughened voice._

Yaruka swelled at the excitement of his dream, though the grass intertwining with his fingers had left a drop of morning dew that shivered up his senses as realistically as he could believe. Usually, the characters would pay him no mind, and simply acknowledge him as a glimpse in the space, until he wished to be seen. He attempted to shrink into the atmosphere, only to be a mindset within his own conscious. Though, footsteps quickened toward his location, a hurried pace to their steps.

_Oh No._

His eyes jolted to face the blueness of the vast sky, clear from any sign of distaste, as if greeting him with a warm smile. His frustration only increased, a dance of confusion becoming the rhythmic of his focus. A startled squeak emitted from one of the two figures.

"Ew, it opened its eyes."

"Naruto!" An older voice scolded, his identity an instant reveal, especially from the gifted nickname from the younger. "Hey, you alright, kid?" The white haired sage crouched over the body, the blond child hovering by his side. Concern hadn't rested on either their faces, instead, it had been replaced with a mild curiosity, the child only stood blinking with widened blue eyes.

"Who are you calling kid?" Yaruka scoffed, pushing himself from the earth by his elbows, until hoisting himself to his feet became a timeless effort. He admired the figures before him, his rudeness being a mere disguise of confusion, as he stood almost at level to Naruto himself. Previously, his height had fluctuated to which he desired but then, he could only stretch to a limit. Naruto had burst into a fit of laughter by then, a loud echo bellowing from his lungs.

"What are you wearing?" He sputtered between gasps. "Your clothes look like they've been worn by Choji!"

"He doesn't know who that is, idiot." The sage, Jiraiya, muttered with a scoff. _Yes I do_.

Yaruka had prepared to bark, though curiosity swelled his mind, and he forced a glance downward to his own body. The boy had been right; his clothes hung from his frame, the once tight shirt now loose over his thin shoulders, and his jeans had the effort of forcing their way down to his hips. His shoes had even been kicked off, his toes and feet now multiple sizes smaller. He sputtered to himself, a rapid dizziness adding to his confusion. He felt around his neck, his fingers coming in contact with his knotted black hair, falling by his shoulders, and tied in a messy ponytail as it had commonly been assumed to during his youth.

If his suspicions were able go be proven correct, a possibility that he stood in his thirteen year old self's body, hung widely in his mind.

"Well, whatever." Jiraiya yawned, throwing his arms into a scarecrow crucifixion, stretching his legs to stand at his regular level. "I didn't come here to babysit two brats, so let's just get going." He turned his back on the black haired child, a shrug to his shoulders, as he allowed himself to be carried elsewhere. Naruto bounced by his side, an enthusiastic skip to his steps, until he parked Jiraiya on the spot, planting himself in front of the man with his fist outstretched.

"But he should come see the training of the future hokage!" He tilted where he stood, a reassuring grin displaying his teeth. He poked his thumb from his hand, holding it up for Yaruka to view. "Which is me, believe it!"

"Quit it," Jiraiya mumbled, a guarded hand scratching the surface of his the back of his neck, his fingers getting caught around his hair.

"No, I'll come with you." The light in the blond's eyes only increased, staring down the unsteady child in the alien clothing. "But only because I need to wash myself."

"In the river?"

"Yes-" he paused, a realisation kicking in. "Yes, Lord Jiraiya! My home isn't exactly close by, you see." A nervous respect lingered within his trembling voice, a surprise plastering itself to both of the figures eyes, until Jiraiya responded with a mere smirk.

"You know this perv?" Naruto raised a brow, his eyes squinted into an uneasy glare.

"Jiraiya is one of the three legendary ninja," Yaruka mumbled, an embarrassed shrug to his movements, "not to mention the great toad lord. I'd like to do my best in sharing the respect."

"Glad to see someone has recognised my talents." Jiraiya swung a large arm over both boys, guiding the three of them at a poor pace. "Welcome aboard, kid. Our destination isn't so far from here."

And it wasn't.

The two wasted no time ignoring Yaruka's own presence, as the boy ventured to the opposing side of a bush, the same location where Jiraiya had been countlessly displayed spying on a group of underdressed women. He couldn't help but smile, his eyes rolling to the shouts Naruto had released, scolding the old man for multiple reasons he couldn't quite remember. Though, the familiarity of the situation had finally hit his memory: _the final round of the chunin exams._

Yaruka's stomach dropped at the reminder of Orochimaru's conflict, the war a priority on the boys list of fears. He contemplated warning the third hokage of his knowledge, though, he couldn't risk the possibility of being an accused henchman or spy of the sannin himself. Within his dreams, no vile event had occurred under his presence, a peace well on his mind. Though, from meeting with his two admired characters, and so much as being touched by them, he began to theorise the possibility it wasn't a dream, or he had been in an incredibly deep sleep.

He peeled off the pale red shirt hanging from his shoulders, stepping from the jeans pooled around his ankles, and gazing hopelessly at his underwear. The once skin tight boxers had now gripped to the definition of his thin hips, a wide blush spreading across the boys face, as his gaze flickered to behind him, ensuring the occupation of the two males on the other side. As the clearing had been proven safe, he removed his underwear from the confinement of his waist, and acquainted them with the rest of his clothing.

His feet greeted the water with a gentle tap, as he slid inwards, halting once it reached his waist. His fingers cupped below the waters edge, bringing his soaking hand to his shoulders, scrubbing the grasses itchiness from his skin, flicking off any dirt that had snuck its way to his chest and back area. He ventured through the corners of his own mind, running his hands down his body, though imagining any possibility of an alternate reality, a way to wake up before a war, perhaps a way to summon Tsunade before she'd even been needed.

He ran his fingers through the thickness of his hair, peering down onto his appearance humming within the reflection, a youthful version of himself who only blinked in response. His eyes fell to be half lidded, the buzz in his mind rising once again, a sway to his motions. A fear ached at his chest, distracting him from the reality he had chosen to ignore, time ticking as helplessly as he was. A doubt bubbled in his mind, large enough to undermine the looming figures behind him, as the sun hung low. Yaruka's mind emptied of the thoughts one by one, the approaching presence of the afternoon sky and the two figures integrating within his doubts.

"Off we go kid, you coming or-"

"Hey!" Yaruka shrieked, ducking to have his chin hover above the water, his hands disguising his genitalia from the two pairs of eyes staring at him. "Weren't you ever taught to not sneak up on people?"

Having a grown man and an admired child, both birthed from the series he adored, staring down at his naked figure had became a disturbing thought to the crook of his mind. _As long as they don't remember in future dreams_, he sighed to himself, _if this is a dream._


	3. Chapter 3

**• CHAPTER THREE •**

"You're here to see the final exam, right?" A curious voice rang, clad in childishness, though no less determined. The black haired boy twisted his gaze to face him, watching as Naruto performed lively strides, his arms stretched behind his head, his hair still dripping occasionally, from when he had fallen into the water during training. Around his chest, he only bore the shirt worn underneath his usual jacket, which had been tied around Yaruka's own waist, a disguise from the underwear threatening to drop from his hips.

"Huh?" Yaruka blinked, shaking away his forced fatigue. "Oh, yeah, I guess you could say I am." The reminder of the praise for Sasuke's potential match stung into his gut, and soon he forced out words of encouragement, though too careful if he could alter the story. His empathy toward the boy who is constantly ignored and belittled rose, until it settled upon his tongue. "I'm here to see you fight though, I guarantee you'll win." And it was the truth.

"Yeah!" The blond pumped his fist in the air with a squeal, earning a disapproving glance from Jiraiya. "I'm going to be the hokage, so I have to win!"

"Then I'll cheer you on." He smiled at the enthusiasm, though his eyes focused on his own appearance. His large shirt had been tied into a twisted knot at his belly, ensuring a grip onto his figure, as Naruto's bright orange jacket wrapped over to protect his waist. A reminder of his alien place within the world had been prompted. "Hey, Naruto? You don't happen to have some spare clothes, do you?" He had abandoned his jeans by the bush he had previously occupied, figuring he shouldn't stand out more than he already was. "I'm sorry to ask for this, but I don't have anything to wear. Would I be able to borrow something for the meantime?"

"Yeah, so let's hurry up and we'll get to my house in no time!" The child raced ahead, a spring to his sprint, his stamina not even budging, no sign of it ceasing ever arriving.

"Can I ask how you even ended up in those strange clothes?" Jiraiya interrupted.

"It's a long story, and I don't really remember much at all." He lied. His thoughts corrupted his mindset, a worry swelling within him, distracted by the thought that this dream had been merely an outlet of escape from his outer responsibilities elsewhere. He paused in his tracks, followed by the estranged glares of the young boy and the older man. "Hey, Naruto? Punch me. Really hard."

"Eh?" Naruto titled his head, a childlike manner to his movements, his arms dropping to his sides.

"Just- I need this, show me your strength, please." Yaruka lowered his desperate gaze, a slight shudder to his distorted reality. The young boy only blinked, a momentary response before he pulled his fist backwards, and launched it to Yaruka's cheek. He stumbled, a slight daze to his eyes, before he shook himself awake and rubbed the attacked location. His eyes widened, and he blinked almost uselessly at nothing.

"You kind of suck." He teased, releasing an uneasy smile.

"But you said I'm gonna win!" Naruto stretched a finger accusingly to the black haired male, a challenging stride to his actions, as he just about prepared to pounce. Yaruka laughed, more to himself, and began to trudge to meet with Jiraiya, who stood only slightly ahead, and flicked the blonds nose with his index finger.

"Not like that, you're not." _Good to know this isn't exactly a dream_. The old man beside them burst into a fit of laughter, a grin stretched onto his face. Despite his perverted hobbies and attitude, Yaruka had grown to admire him, throughout the series, and couldn't help but contemplate the strength of the sage in experience to this reality. The three returned to walking at a solid pace, before Yaruka sparked up another purposeless distraction. "How about you, Master Jiraiya? Can you punch me, please?"

"You're quite polite for a brat." The man shrugged. "But no, I'm not punching any kids."

"_But I'm not a kid!_" Yaruka almost protested.

"Erm." A cough erupted from Naruto, who walked at a dog like trot beside him. "So, how'd you know my name?" _He really is unobservant._

"Jiraiya said it as you found me." Yaruka rolled his eyes, gesturing an open palm to the older male on the opposing side, who only glanced at the response of his name.

"And how do you know the pervs name?" The child raised his eyebrows, his arms a pretzel at his chest.

"I told you, squirt. I'm famous!" The sage raised his fist to retort, a grin, though with an angered gaze, plastered to his face.

"And what's yours? You know us but you still haven't told us who you are."

_Should I tell them?_ He gulped a nervous lump dwelling in his throat. _Will it do anything if I tell them? What if I alter the story?_ Yaruka hadn't noticed he had stopped, earning yet another set of stares from the other two. A shadow clouded his thoughts, a contemplation of ill fated dangers and possible outcomes resting within his very mind, decided by his very hands. _They'll get suspicious if I keep too much of myself a secret._

"Kid?" Jiraiya's muttered voice became his wake up call.

"Huh? Oh." Yaruka inhaled deeply. "My name is Yaruka, Yaruka Hidemichi." Naruto nodded in understanding, his eyes still on the stranger loosely sandwiched between him and the sage. The black haired male shuddered under the pressure, a bead of sweat pooling at the back of his neck. Naruto's eyes wondered from his face, to his bust, then lingered by the lower features of his body. Yaruka grew red, and snapped his attention to growl at the boy, opening his mouth to yell, though had already been interrupted by the child himself.

"Where's your headband? Are you not even a genin?" _So he'd been looking for a headband_, Yaruka sighed to himself, the anger drowning from his grudged mind. He flashed an anxious smile, scratching his shrunken fingernails against the creases of his bottom lip.

"You could say that." He shrugged, a casual action to his reply. Naruto had begun to point his index finger, outstretching his arm until his finger had slightly brushed against Yaruka's ear cartilage. The dark haired male inched his face away cautiously, a slight fear of being touched by either characters.

"Then let's fight! Show me your skills!"

"I don't have any!"

"How? That's a stupid lie, you have to show me!"

"I'm not good at anything, I have never trained in my life!"

"You what!?"

"Shut up, brat." Grumbled the old man, who'd barely made an effort to speak. Naruto only stuck his tongue out, returning his arms to his chest, and sticking out his lip to a pout. Neither males had spoken after the interaction, an awkward tension dancing over their heads. Yaruka lifted the weight of his gaze, until he was able to scan each individual blemish along the mans skin, a certain method to convincing him of the reality he stood in, had been his actual reality. A pressure beneath his skin reminded him of his own needs.

"Um," Yaruka coughed, "Can you point me to where you can buy ramen then, please? I'm quite hungry." Truthfully, Yaruka already had a common idea on where to find the place, though requited a strong urge to break the silence. The energetic boy jumped in his steps, offering to show him in a voice too fast paced to process. Jiraiya released a clear sigh, reminding the boy of the original plans for a bath, and he soon grew tense from changing something so carelessly.

•••

"I heard Iruka sensei is good with teaching." Yaruka's voice held at a distinct muffled volume, the forgotten hunger now aware and demanding. He forced another mouthful of ramen, with his previous batch still a complete solid. Barely leaving any room to chew or swallow, he cleaned the bowl with almost a vacuumed inhale, a competitive pace compared to Naruto's natural eating speed.

"Where'd you hear that?" The genin returned the mumble, mouth just as full, though no surrounding customer appeared to be bothered by it.

"Where I'm from, the hidden leaf village is very famous."

"Oh yeah? For what? Where are you from?" Naruto placed the ceramic upon the wooden surface he leaned over, his eyes wild with questions. Yaruka furrowed his brows, a sudden regret to his words, as he contemplated a reveal, his time thinking cut short by the eager child beside him.

"I don't know if I can tell you."

"What? Why not?" Naruto brought his bottom lip to stick from his face, his brows creased to form a line. Yaruka hadn't replied that time, and only listened to the child squabble, Jiraiya scolding him. The black haired male closed his eyes, bringing the remaining pieces of his ramen within his bowl to his lips, a slow pace to his feed.

"Thank you for letting me borrow your clothes, by the way. I'll repay the favour someday." He bowed in his seat, a sigh to his words, as both Naruto and the older male seemed to pause at their petty argument. Naruto blinked, his blue eyes empty, before a grin stretched upon his face, and he leant to close the distance between him and Yaruka, who inched away anxiously,

"Repay it by fighting me!" Naruto exclaimed at a loud volume, his eyes now bright with an eagerness Yaruka was close to fearing. He opened his mouth to scold the boy, before Jiraiya grumbled beside them, reminding them of his presence, who Yaruka had forgotten about carelessly.

"Idiot, if he's not even an academy graduate, then what's the point?" Jiraiya slapped the back of the blond's head, though gently, and Yaruka revealed a soft smile to the interaction.

"But he's always asking me for favours!" Naruto countered, now leaning to yell at the sage, who hadn't budged.

"Please accept my apology." Yaruka brought a finger to scratch his lower lip, avoiding eye contact with the two males beside him. "I'm not even worth fighting, we do nothing like what you do back home." He placed the chopsticks within his bowl.

"Speaking of home," Jiraiya sighed, "I need to get going. See you, kids." Yaruka jumped from his seat to follow him, much at the confusion of Naruto, though a sudden thought crossed his mind, and he scolded himself mentally of allowing it to slip.

"Before you leave, Master Jiraiya, is there a hotel you'll be willing to point me to?" The black haired male gripped the hem of the sages vest, though recoiling at the contact. _He feels so real_, Yaruka panicked, swallowing an anxious doubt within his throat.

"Well, how much do you have to spend?" The elders voice interrupted him from his sweat inducing panic, and he only stared at the sage with empty expressions.

"How much..?" A reality check slammed itself to Yaruka's skull. "Oh, I don't have any money."

"Then what was the point in asking, brat!?"

"Forget it, I hope the trees are safe to sleep in." Yaruka scoffed, charging in the direction he assumed to be where the training grounds had been located. Trees were a widely common appearance within that area, and the boy assumed it to be a simple place to disguise himself within, though the resting doubt of sleeping so open had forced him to worry once again. A large hand forced his own arm to stretch out, before a handful of small metallic pieces fell into his palm.

"Here, this should be enough for a night. Get yourself a job, squirt."

•••

Yaruka pressed his back against the comfort resting upon the grounds surface, his hands pressed to his face. Whatever nightmare, fever dream, or wicked curse he's experiencing, he is sure to return to his home eventually. Though, despite his age within this reality, and his misplacement within his favourite series, he began to wonder if it was even worse returning home. But, would the outer world be paused whilst he's missing? The girl he had planned to meet, perhaps understood he had _stood her up_, as surrounding witnesses would have described, and perhaps would acknowledge his wasted time among the world.

Tears had fallen down the warmth of his cheeks, by then, soaking the palms of his hands as he disguised the chokes of his sobs with the mere sniffling of his nose. It wasn't as if he cared where he was at all, though the confusion fighting within his mind had distracted him from the worst for too long. Perhaps, as the following day rolled by, he'd take the time to search for applicable answers.


	4. Chapter 4

_Before we begin, I would like to acknowledge a brief note; I will attempt to update as swiftly as I can, though in preparation for my last year of school, I will keep updates to strictly Saturdays, Australian time. Thank you for the understanding. - Thursday, 21/11/2019_

• **CHAPTER FOUR** •

Yaruka had grown used to waking alone, though the aching silence deafened him further, until his only wish had been to be surrounded by the occupants of the bus once more. He had half expected to be awake from his dreams, furthering his own life as an adult, though he wasn't surprised of the fear remaining a reality. He had woken and left the comforts of the hotel building by the crack of dawn, his inability to sleep becoming tiresome, thus he left to seek the comforts of a trustworthy presence.

He found himself returning to the river bank he had witnessed meeting Naruto and the toad sage the day before, as if the event had occurred during the previous weeks, a sudden nostalgia eating at his mind. A speckled forest surrounded the large body of water, vegetation decorating each acre of grass, which Yaruka had admitted to admiring. The greenery emphasised the peacefulness, as proven by the large white haired figure hunched within the shade. The boy only trudged toward him, a realisation of the man being asleep, before he sat beside the sage, a sleepiness to his own eyes.

"Master Jiraiya," he whispered, his attempt to capture the mans attention a failure, but more or less a success. His head leant backward, until it met with the rough bark of the tree, his posture imitating the sages own. He had half expected to be ignored, his gaze stretching toward the running of the nearby waterfall, in which he recalled the scenes where girls in swimwear often visited. _Pervert_, his muttered in his mind.

"Mm?" Came a low reply, a simple hum, as the older male hadn't forced an attempt to blink his woken confirmation.

"Sorry, didn't think you were awake." Yaruka closed his eyes, a disguise to his embarrassment. "I have something to confess, about how I ended up in those clothes." He paused, a deep inhalation to his breath. "But I'm scared of altering the future." Only a snore answered to his worries, the boy sighing at his stupidity, before the tiredness of the night before had caught up with him. His head tilted to meet the sages beside, his mind shutting off to force upon an outdated dream.

Though, he hadn't dreamt, his rest unable to reach the stage of rapid eye movement, as his body experienced the extreme relaxation only. He had lost track of time, his breathing slowing to a gentle rhythm, as he hadn't noticed himself lean into the figure, his snores pressed blissfully into the sages sleeve. Though, the older man had woken after a brief half an hour, a pang of somewhat nostalgia as he peered at the boy poked into his side.

"Kid?" The sage stretched his arms over his head, blinking his lazed eyelids awake, stifling a thick yawn. He nudged the smaller boy with a gentle prod of his elbow, who grumbled in response. The boys eyes fluttered open for a brief moment, staring up at the large comfort, before stumbling backwards, choking on the lump of embarrassment from within his throat.

"Please accept my apology, Master Jiraiya!" He scratched at his bottom lip. "I didn't mean to, you just looked so peaceful." The sage only nodded, sleep still visible in his eyes.

"What are you doing out here, anyway?" Jiraiya yawned. "Did you find a hotel?"

"I did, I just couldn't sleep." Yaruka dug his hands through the back pockets of Naruto's shorts, which he had still worn, it becoming both his pyjamas and casual wear for the meantime. The pouch Jiraiya had given him previous rested in the palm of his childish hands, though a majority of the contents had depleted. "Here's the change, by the way. I wasn't as hungry as I thought I was, so I guess I didn't need the rest."

"First Naruto, then you." Jiraiya hadn't moved to collect the money, though only hung his head in desired slumber, and a deepening thought.

"Pardon?"

"At least you're mature, unlike that other brat." The sage held a large hand underneath the child's, curling the much smaller fingers over the fabric of the pouch. "Keep the rest of the money."

"Well, I'm not really a child." Yaruka laughed, forcing a stupid mistake to discover the consequences of his carelessness, and he fixed a stare down at the given money, resting the pouch onto his lap.

"I wouldn't believe an adult can make themselves look that young."

"Tsunade does it," Yaruka teased, a smile to his lips, "but I don't have any chakra whatsoever, I don't know how to alter my appearance." Jiraiya's expression only numbed his shock at the mention of the womans name.

"No chakra?"

"I'm from another world. In my world, I live in Michigan, and there no such things as ninja training of the sort, unless it's in stories, like the world you live in. I know you from a book, which is also a show, Naruto is the main character, and I know how he lives, how you die, and when the next-" A large chunk of acid and stomach contents emptied to the grass below. "I'm scared, I'm not a character, I'm not supposed to be here."

"Kid," the sage sighed, a hesitant hand placed upon the boys back, "I don't think you-"

"Is it too late to tell you it was a dream?" Yaruka forced a laugh as he interrupted the man, his index finger to his lower lip. Jiraiya only shot him a glance. "No, you're right, I know what you're implying. Pretend it was a dream, my best option right now is to live how I should in this world, as a child, I'll wake up eventually." He plastered a childish grin to his lips, lazily hoisting himself onto unsteady feet. "Now to find Guy, have fun peaking on girls, Master Jiraiya!"

•••

Yamanaka Flower's had been proven to be more beautiful in person than in both the manga and the anime combined, and, as he would hate to admit, Yaruka couldn't help but pause at every new batch, and smell each individual fragrance depending on the flowers type, admiring the growth worked into each one. His hunt for Guy had stopped short once he encountered a familiar building, placing his personal mission on standby, as he began to grow giddy at the thought of possibly meeting another known character.

His first step had been introduced by a bell, in which a young voice had responded by ensuring her assistance in a short while, as she is preoccupied with something else. Yaruka didn't mind, of course, and decided he might as well enjoy the presence of nature that had stretched out before him. A few brief minutes had ticked by, the boy becoming somewhat immersed into botany, that he had grown blind to the young girl standing right behind him.

"Beautiful, aren't they?"

"Oh!" He jumped at the strangers voice, as the girl only giggled in response. "Yes, very. I've never been interested in flowers until now." He admitted with a shy hum, lowering his head. Yaruka had immediately recognised the girl as Ino, a lengthy section of her light hair falling over one eye, and he soon harboured an apologetic pit within his stomach. He had reminded himself of the girl's childhood experience with Sakura, and felt it unfair the pink haired girl had ended things so swiftly, over one boy. As pretty as he saw her, he developed a strained like over the team seven girl, unsure whether to support her acts viewed as weak, or not.

"So, what's the occasion?" She tilted her pale face.

"Ah, well, there's two, actually." Yaruka pressed a finger to his bottom lip, as Ino nodded. "The first one is for someone in the hospital. His injuries were extreme, and I want him to know he'll definitely become a fine shinobi." A nod of familiarity rested over the girl's face, and Yaruka recoiled at the accidental reveal. "And the other is to give to someone I really want to be friends with, but I'm unsure how to tell her."

"Well, for your friend in the hospital, a chrysanthemum will do just lovely." The blonde girl before him smiled. "They're used to represent optimism and joy, which is what you hope to project onto him. And, as for the second one," she spoke with a lively tone to her voice, as she hopped toward a bed of white flowers, which hung overside, though with a lovely demeanour, "maybe the white orchid is suitable for the situation."

"Do you like white orchids?"

"I suppose so, but I like all the flowers. They're each unique, and I like that I get to help people discover their meaning, and share the love." The boy agreed with an appreciative smile, a sweet gesture over his worried demeanour, as he soon relaxed into her words. As they neared the counter, they spoke of the cost, as well as small facts about flowers Ino had gained knowledge of, and though Yaruka hadn't a clue on what she said, he still nodded to indicate he was listening, the words of his mother echoing through his mind: _always be nice to pretty girls._

"Good luck with the girl, by way. I'm sure she'd love to be your friend."

"Do you have any idea how I should approach her?"

"It won't hurt to walk up to her, and say: _hello, nice to meet you, let's be friends_!"

"Thank you." He gestured the white orchid outward, his arm outstretched, as he gifted her the flower with a reassuring smile, as if he understood all her worries. "Hello, nice to meet you, let's be friends. My name is Yaruka Hidemichi."

She stood almost as if shock had consumed her, her empty yet stratifying blue eyes frozen in place, as she stared at the flower with her hand stroking the delicate petals, as if a new meaning had come to it. Her voice appeared to have gotten lost during her brief seconds of silence, before he eyes softened, and she smiled.

"Ino Yamanaka."

"Well, I should be off. Nice meeting you, Ino." He reached over from behind the counter, and fixed the stem of the held flower into the tightened strands of hair behind the blondes ear. He waved an energetic exit, as he withdrew himself from the building, a small puffy flower left in hand. Once out of view of the shop, he slowed his pace to a halt, releasing a brisk puff of air from between his lips. He had begun to grow nauseous during the interaction with the girl, and allowed another puddle of stomach contents to escape his body, the liquid burning his throat. _Being a child is tiring_.

He gazed upward from where he stood, searching for a rather tall white building, almost desperate to visit Rock Lee, the quest for Guy long disappearing from his thoughts. His steps grew lost as he ventured through the village, the flower twirling between the grip of his fingers, staring thoughtfully at the vibrant colours. He wondered if Lee would appreciate the gesture, and allow him to be his friend, though at the same time he considered running away all together, forgetting his helpful gestures of pity. _That's it_, he hummed in his mind, _forget Lee, I'll run away and pretend I have never existed in the first place._

•••

"I'm here to see Rock Lee?"

"Of course, right this way."

_Dammit, how did I end up here?_


	5. Chapter 5

**• CHAPTER FIVE •**

Yaruka hadn't been reminded of his personal mission for Guy until he stood into the mourning silence of Lee's hospital room. Though spacious, the atmosphere was enough to mimic a claustrophobic panic, it's tightening tension forcing a pitiful hole of butterflies into the boy's stomach. The two males, though very similar in appearance, yet having no relational blood traits connected to each other, gazed up at the entering stranger with empty eyes. Yaruka swallowed a dry lump from within his throat, and contemplated throwing himself out the window for the meantime, though he didn't, but flashed a weak smile to the weak boy.

"I- you don't know me, but my name is Yaruka. I heard about the preliminary exams." As the boy spoke, neither made a move, the grieving atmosphere only growing thicker. "I know this isn't much, but this flower means optimism, and joy, which I will give to you as a gift." He had been almost desperately determined to befriend the injured youth, as whilst watching the show he ha an increased admiration for the child's hard working spirit. Yaruka's cheeks burnt at the responding silence, and again, he contemplated throwing himself out the window.

"Why are you here?" The much older figure, recognised as Guy, muttered at the presence made well aware, not so much shifting his gaze nor committing any movement to his words. The man's hands were interlocked with one another, his head hung low, as the hospitalised boy only stared upward. Neither spoke, and neither moved, which unsettled the foreign boy greatly, and for the first time, he inhabited the feeling of guilt towards another person. The situation with Lee much reminded him of a dying relative, who understood her fate, and had given him the jewellery promised to pass down to the eldest male of the household. Yaruka, though, being in his mid teens then, scoffed, and threw aside the necklace, demanding no pity, and demanding no respect. He blamed himself, now, for not perfecting a relationship, and having to let his own mother go with an argument.

"I want to be taught taijutsu. Seeing Lee's strength has inspired me, as I don't have any chakra levels whatsoever, I gave up through that knowledge." The lie had only been half true, though the attempt was to prevent any oncoming nausea. "I hate to say this in front of Lee, but please teach me. I want to someday be a worthy opponent."

The silence was heart breaking. Alas, after a brief moment of empty responses, the boy only gifted the flower upon the boy's chest, and averted his gaze to the door. He dipped his head in respect, becoming a pretender to ignore the arising sobs of the injured male.

"Please accept my apology for wasting your time."

•••

Yaruka exited the white doors with an equalised solemn line pursed over his lips, his belly aching. His fingertip clawed lightly along his bottom lip, which trembled in a mere thought, his head hazy and oblivious to the mess of yellow tufts squawking loudly toward a group of unrecognised citizens. The black haired boy only glanced upwards at a scream, demanding the child to cease his disturbances, which then did the strange figure be identified.

"Naruto?"

"Yaruka!" Naruto turned from shaking his fist at the fleeing group, his furrowed eyebrows peeking up, as did his smile. "What have you done to be in trouble with the hokage already, eh?" The blond waddled over, a toothy grin plastered to his glowing expression, a laughter to his words. Yaruka only blinked in response, his own expression softening to a worry, his heart somewhat beating in disbelief.

"What?"

"Old man wants to see you, dunno why." The blond shrugged, walking in the assumed direction with his wide stance, a laziness shrouding his figure, as he hummed calmly to himself. For the other male, however, things weren't as relaxed as he wished them to be, his body freezing up, wondering how such a thing can amuse the energetic child so easily.

"Oh no."

"Wha-?" Naruto averted his gaze from the road, and only glanced behind him, though not fast enough to catch Yaruka sprinting ahead.

"Thanks for telling me! I'll see you later, yeah?" Yaruka's voice drowned with the wind, leaving the poor boy in a trail of dust, without giving him a moment to so do much as process the situation.

"Huh?" It became Naruto's turn to blink, a blank stare overcoming his expression, until he jumped to his senses. "Yaruka! I didn't tell you where to meet him!"

By then, Yaruka hadn't heard, nor cared, as he summoned every remaining strength of his younger self, his feet carrying him swiftly enough to have the wind snap over the crevices of his ears, a rumble to the breeze. He skidded, a sharp turn, toward wherever he wished, or assumed, to go, following only a memorised path. Though, after a missing moment of no building, nor sign of the old man, he only wandered at a slow pace his breath heaving over his chest.

He almost considered it a prank, that Naruto only wanted to lead him into a trap, if that even was Naruto. If only he had the ability to sense the usage of genjutsu, then Yaruka would contemplate his worth, his usefulness, and how efficiently he'd be able to fight during the war against Orochimaru. He had grown lost among the forest of thoughts, for long enough to land himself into a tuft of familiar white hair, which he hadn't realised was so unexpectedly soft. The man turned his head to glance over his shoulder, and released a hum of recognition, catching the attention of another, much older appearing man, who only nodded at the child.

"Master Jiraiya! Third Hokage!" The boy jolted his body into a bow, at the realisation of the figures, a scattered smile worn over his panic, his head lowered in an obvious respect. The old man, the third hokage, only laughed a gruff growl, dismissing the boy's bow with a polite smile.

"I see Naruto delivered his message well. No need for such formalities, I only wish to talk." Sarutobi nodded his head, as Yaruka returned the gesture in understanding.

"You must know how important it is to tell the truth, Yaruka, there will be no consequences otherwise." Jiraiya looked downward at the boy, his eyebrows raised ajar, his lips pursed in concern. The two men turn from their positions, and furthered themselves down the crowded path they stood within, guiding the third member of the company to a less occupied field.

"Jiraiya has informed me of your earlier mentions of not being from... this world. I must ask, what did you mean by that?" The old man perched himself upon a wooden bench, closing his eyes, as he rested underneath the shade of a tree. Jiraiya only stood, and stared at the boy for the answer.

"It was just a stupid dream." Yaruka scratched his bottom lip, giving off an anxious laugh, as the two raised their eyebrows in uncertainty.

"You seemed sure enough that it weren't." The sage countered, his arms folded over his chest.

"If I tell you, I might hurt everyone."

"By making yourself sick?"

"What?" Yaruka blinked at Jiraiya's supposed accusation, though the events made sense, now that he thought of them.

"As you were explaining how you don't have a place here, you vomited. Is that a result?" As Jiraiya spoke, Sarutobi's eyes opened once again, and he gazed with a sense of curiosity at the two conversing.

"Oh, I threw up after talking to Ino, too, and I felt sick when asking Guy to train me, so I guess it is."

"Why ask Guy to train you?" Sarutobi spoke up then, a mean to answers running through his mind.

"Guy masters in Taijutsu, does he not? I don't seem to have any levels of chakra whatsoever as entering this world, I assumed he would be the best considering Kakashi- never mind." The boy replied with a dignified politeness, then forcing the two to wonder if he really wasn't a child, as the boy mentioned.d

"Yaruka, you spoke of fighting not being regular where you're from. Why ask to be trained?" Jiraiya corrected, no expression worn on his face, as he only stared out in thought.

"I know something is coming, that is all I will say. Even though I may damage reality by even so being here, I want to help as much as I can." Yaruka stared downward at the ground, his eyes fixed and hazed with thoughts of his home. The hokage turned to speak to the sage, who was as equally in thought as the boy.

"Jiraiya, tell me how you expect me to trust his word?"

"I don't." The sage only muttered.

"I have seen and heard your meetings with Anko. I know about the cursed mark, who gave it to her, and I know about the sand ninja participating in the exams." Yaruka spoke up, a liquid sadness threatening the corners of his eyes, as his voice creaked, his fists bawled beside him, desperate for trust.

"You sound awfully much like a spy." His plan had somewhat failed, he supposed, as Sarutobi's glance had a sudden narrowness to it.

"I assure you, I am not, and I'm willing to do whatever to prove so. I expected to wake up in my own bed last night, and I didn't, so I only wish to adapt to this world." Tears fell down the boy's cheeks. "No matter how much I miss home." The truth was, he didn't know what he wanted, and only wished to play along for the meantime. The sage hadn't spoken, and neither did the old man, all three of the company zoning out from the boy's desperation, until Sarutobi finally opened his mouth to speak.

"I will speak to Guy."


	6. Chapter 6

• **Chapter Six** •

_"Yaruka," the hokage spoke, shattering the silence of their walk to return into town, "I assume you don't have acquired shelter, nor currency to survive?" He turned to face the small boy, who bit his lip in realisation at his own state of living. A finger stretched upward to stroke his lower lip, as he shook his head hesitantly._

_"I don't, please accept my apology for this inconvenience." The boy bowed his head momentarily, before earning a soft snort from the sage beside him._

_"Well mannered brat."_

_"I will see to fitting you into a vacant apartment, though I hope you understand you will have to repay our efforts with a way of working." Sarutobi raised a brow, to analyse the childs reaction, who only bowed yet again, though to disguise his childish grin._

_"I understand, Lord Hokage, Master Jiraiya. Thank you, I really mean it!"_

•••

Clothes shopping hadn't been as simple as he remembered. Once the toad sage had guided the boy through the streets, the address of his apartment being the destination, he had leant a small portion of coins, mumbling a swift "get yourself something, and give that damn brat his clothes back." - of course, the brat being Naruto. Yaruka couldn't thank him enough, bowing and nodding and apologising for his inconvenience, until the sage himself had to raise his voice. Though, only the second day had passed, it had felt as if the memories were from over the years, as he was merely a guest in this world, watching from above, collecting the inhabitants emotions.

Yaruka roamed the array of clothing, viewing assortments of shirts and jackets, though a reminder that he hadn't the slightest idea on fashion, or what suited him, crowded his shopping trip. In his arms, he only held a skin tight turtle neck - though will clearly be seen as oversized on the boys small frame - which only deemed appropriate for a ninja in his eyes. He gazed at the fabric in his grasp, his fingertips running over the thin material, as he held it up to view it sincerely; nothing special about it, the material being black and airy, loose, as if made for the purpose of ninja, which Yaruka found simply magnificent. He smiled tp himself, returning it to his clutches, as he simple roamed to view the choice of jackets to wear over it.

The raven haired boy strolled through a later aisle, somewhat at the back of the small shop, and hadn't needed a chance to even view his options. His eyes were immediately drawn to a satin-like apparel to the sleeves; a jacket hung almost too fear from his reach, the deepness lf the black radiating within the stores light. The sleeves were sleek, and bore a beautiful gold at the cuffs, the same gold being sewn into the body of the jacket, a dull yet beautiful glow to its appearance. He knew at an instant he'd have to be wise when choosing apparel for his lower area, the moment he payed for his desired outfit leaving him with only a few coins to spare. He hummed as he left the store, a satisfaction to his lips, though an anxiousness to his stomach. He glanced upward at his own uncomfortable state, adopting the accustomed feeling of 'ruining' - as he called it - the story so carelessly. His eyes ran over a particular blonde girl, bags in hand, as she wandered the busies roads.

"Hey, Ino!" Yaruka called from the store front, waving his hand stretched far above his head, the girls attention easily snatched from her business. As the two locked to each others eyes, the girl averted her gaze eagerly, attempting to disguise the rising pink over her cheeks with the shelter of her hair. _Oh no_, Yaruka's stomach hummed without a hunger, _this is the sickening sensation I was supposed to avoid_. He trudged forward to close the large gap between the two, and at further inspection, the flower from previous events still remained in her hair. "Are you on a break?"

"I suppose so." She nodded, her hands gripping the bags in front of her, a simpleness to her words. Yaruka copied her movements, though averted his hands to scratch his bottom lip, his fingernail stroking the skin.

"Um, Ino?" Yaruka spoke after a brief silence, the girl's eyes fixed on the boy in front of her. "If it's not too much to ask, do you happen to know where this is?" He tugged a small portion of torn paper from the depths of the pockets owned by Naruto's shorts, which then he noticed how much his clothing horribly clashed. He urged the parchment towards the girl, who only gazed at it, before nodding in confirmation.

"I do, but isn't a man supposed to walk the lady home?" Her hands moved to sit upon her hips, a forced pout to her lip. Yaruka smiled at her attempt to appear uninterested in the boy, even though her blush and lingering stares said otherwise. The sickness within his stomach had forced him to regret the kind gesture he had paid toward her, the lingering pain sending pangs to the rest of his body. He only bowed in response.

"I'll repay the favour one day, I promise. It's just I only just arrived here, and it is a little embarrassing to ask, but-" Ino interrupted his rambling with a tap of her foot, and a small demand to stand up, which he did.

"It's not a problem." She shrugged, turning away from the boy with a wave of her wrist. "So, what are you shopping for?" She began at a slow pace, Yaruka only needing to hop forward in order to meet at her level.

"Actually, I need help on that too..." He laughed sheepishly, his finger returning to his lips.

"Do you boys know how to do anything for yourselves?" Ino scoffed, hiding her face from the boy beside her. Yaruka shook his hands furiously, his bag of the two articles of clothing nearly slipping from his wrists.

"It's just clothes!" He defended himself with a snort, returning the grudged behaviour, though ensuring the tinge of playfulness. "I need to know where I can buy shorts, that's all!" Ino only humphed at his words, and gestured for the both of them to turn.

"Follow me then, if I'm taking you to that place then we might as well just stick together." Her words spoke quickly, almost in forced annoyance. At that moment, the illness of the boy's stomach had dissipated, and replaced itself with a bundle of butterflies.

"Thanks, Ino."


	7. Chapter 7

• **CHAPTER SEVEN** •

"What about these ones?" Yaruka pulled a pair of slim, white trousers from it's hanging position of the clothing rack, turning to face Ino's impatient expression, which had been twisted with disgust. She shook her head furiously, and held her hands against her hips, a discerned snort at the sight of the boys supposed innocence.

"Are you kidding? You'll stand out like a sore thumb!" She scoffed, averting her gaze to run over the assortments around her, keeping her eyes from meeting the boy's own.

"They're only white pants!" He protested with a whine, holding them afar to further check them out. He stretched his arm to hold the jacket beside it, his eyes skimming over the supposed lack of compatibility. He must admit, he did understand where she was drawing her opinion off, but his stubbornness disabled his willingness to agree.

"With a black jacket and shirt! I'd say go with shorts, but even with those you'll be spotted in an instance!" As Ino raised her voice, the two earned multiple glares from passing customers, though neither of them cared, and continued to bicker so openly. Yaruka rolled his eyes childishly, before pushing out his chest, as if to challenge her. Though, Ino showed no interest herself, her eyes occupied with the assortments of more suitable clothing to match his estranged style.

"Fine! Then what's _your_ big, great idea?" He pointed a finger in her direction, releasing a soft snort. The girl only hummed with a gentle stubbornness, her fingers outlining a grey material among the many hung before her.

"These." She humphed calmly, removing a pair of solid grey shorts, though light in colour, and held them to compare to the boys waist. Yaruka only shook his head, and spun on his heels, his eyes landing on the first thing he sees.

"Or what about-?"

"No yellow!" He felt a pressure at the back of his head, and glanced back at the defiant girl.

"Oh, but all black and grey just looks boring," he whined, his shoulders slouching in dramatic effects.

"So? It looks nice at least! Do you want to look more like a clown?" She smirked at her insult, forcing an emphasis to her point as she scanned the boy of his current clothing.

"I don't look like a clown!" He growled, though, he must admit, she was right. He still bore the baggy red shirt he entered the world with in the first place, which had started to smell, and around his torso, a pair of Naruto's horribly bright orange shorts.

"You're right, you're not a clown, you're the whole circus!" The two returned to bickering, Yaruka defensive of his appearance while Ino only attempted to aid him with defiance. The girl had currently begun to won their argument, her reasons valid, and her knowledge more compatible than Yaruka's own, though they had become inherently unaware of the approaching figure behind them.

"Excuse me?" A soft spoken voice interrupted, a hand being placed upon Ino's shoulder.

"What-! Oh, Sakura." Ino jumped at the touch at first, though only calmed at the new company. Sakura stumbled back at the snap, though her gaze softened, and a kind curiosity dwelled within the pools of her green eyes. Yaruka gasped at her presence, and immediately shoved the articles of clothing into the pink haired girls sight.

"Quick, grey shorts with these, or yellow shorts with these?" He muttered desperately, enforcing an opinion on the girl, who only stood back in sheepish alarm.

"Why ask _her_ such an idiotic question?" Ino crossed her arms. "Grey, of course!"

"I'll have to go with Ino on this one, grey is much nicer." Sakura smiled at the boy, who whined in defeat, twisting on his heels to return the yellow shorts.

"Hah! Take that, clown boy!"

"But the gold on the jacket does look quite lovely, perhaps you can sew a bit of a similar colour into it?"

"Don't bother making suggestions, Sakura, he's useless."

"Hey!" Yaruka scoffed, taking another chance to browse his clothing options.

"Don't worry, I'm sure she doesn't mean- oh, what's up with that flower?" Sakura's attention had been turned to the orchid, still perched within the blonde girls hair, behind her ear. Ino only blushed in response, averting her gaze from either.

"Flower..? Oh! It's nothing, I just decided to spruce up my look." Her words stumbled over each other slightly, a smirk forming over Yaruka's own face as he spied her blush.

"It's a white orchid, I gifted it to her." He puffed out his chest, almost proud at her embarrassment, as Sakura only gaped with a thoughtful expression.

"I was the one that picked it out!" Ino defended, her voice desperate, as she watched Sakura make the calculations internally.

"Oh, Ino," Sakura murmured, "I had no idea you were so involved with..."

"Yaruka." He bowed his respects.

"Ah, I'm Sakura, nice to meet you."

"I'm not involved with this idiot, so don't think you can snatch Sasuke away so easily!" Ino stamped her foot, and soon the attitude Yaruka had been so used to seeing from Sakura had rose to the surface.

"Oh, shut it-" She held out a fist, a scowl to her lips, before the boy interrupted the two with a shrug.

"Fine, grey it is, I'll go make the purchase."

"Don't even think about changing it last second!"

•••

"So, Ino, how about that walk home?" Yaruka smirked, holding the dango to his lips, despite his distaste toward it.

"Walk... home...?" Sakura blinked, staring blankly at the two, as the heat rose from the blonde kunoichi's cheeks.

"Do you get off on embarrassing me or something? Shut it!" She scowled, her heel digging into the boys shin.

"Ino...?" The pink haired girl earned no response from the two, and was only left with her own thoughts, until Ino shook her head with a snarl.

"He only just moved here, and I'm only just showing him home. We met today, nothing is happening!"

"You still have my flower in your hair, so I'd say something is happening." Yaruka purred, nudging a finger toward the white orchid.

"I wish I rejected it the moment you showed it to me!"

"Quit your arguing already!" Sakura snapped, catching the attention of the bickering children, as she only bit into her food, the three digging into served dango.

"But-" The two whined, earning a scowl from the supposedly kind girl

"No. Let's just finish eating, then we can show Yaruka home."

"We?" Ino blinked, a brow raised, as Sakura only nodded.

"Nothing is happening between you two, right? So I guess you wouldn't mind if I came along."

"Fine."


	8. Chapter 8

• **CHAPTER EIGHT **•

Yaruka dreamt of nothing, that night. His head grew empty upon arrival to the foreign world, his only nightmares being his disappearance of his own dimension, and his only dreams being the memories of the day before; his discussion with Jiraiya and the hokage himself had almost felt as if he imagined it, and having the privilege to shop with both Ino and Sakura had almost felt to be made up. Yet, he discovered it all to be true, upon waking to a solid knock at his door, upon realising that during his regular life, a visitor so early in the morning had been non existent, and he only took the time to adjust, before his name had echoed to his ears.

"Yaruka? I believe you needed to speak with me?" Though glum, the voice could be easily recognised as the enthusiastic teacher, Guy. Yaruka almost bounced at the words, throwing himself from the comfort of his blankets, and hopping to meet with the apartments entrance. He threw on his shoes hurriedly, before tossing open the door, a string of sweat coating his forehead, as he panted lightly at the amount of energy exerted.

"Hello, sensei," Yaruka mumbled through his gentle gasps, bowing in a solid respect, "I assume the hokage had spoken with you?"

"He has." The older man stared downward at the tiny figure, a sly chuckle to his throat. He peaked a head over the corner of the doorway, eyeing what he could see of the apartment, as if comparing it to the childs own appearance. "May I come inside? There are matters we must discuss."

"Oh, of course." Yaruka nodded, tearing himself away from the entrances view, clearing a pathway, as the respected ninja trudged inside. He bowed, once again, hurriedly removing his shoes, tucking them neatly into a corner, as he raced after the other male. "Should I put on some tea?" He called out, almost tripping into his small kitchen, clearly built for one person. Guy declined with a polite shake of his head, before perching himself upon the frail set of a dining table and chairs. Yaruka only nodded, and sat on the opposing side of the teacher.

"So, I would like to know about this business of you not belonging to this world." The older male began, his arms folded neatly before him, his eyes lidded, though his brows raised with a subtle hint of curiosity.

"Ah, so he _has_ told you." Yaruka sheepishly scratched at his bottom lip, a nervous chuckle to his words. He sighed briefly, before shuffling upon the wooden seating, increasing his rates of comfortability. He lowered his gaze, before eyeing the kitchen, in one last suggestion. "It's a long story, are you sure you don't want some tea?" Again, the offer had been declined. Honestly, the boy was unsure if he even had tea in his apartment to begin with, though knowing of the beginners supply of food he had been able to purchase with the remainder of the sage and hokages funding.

"You're quite different from how you were with the girls yesterday, are you always this polite?" The man released a low chuckle, as he folded his arms to sit comfortably at his chest. Yaruka only blushed in embarrassment, almost choking on his own saliva. The sensei smirked at his reaction, though spoke of nothing else.

"Oh... You saw that?" The child exhaled sharply, avoiding the others grin.

"I did. Nothing to be ashamed of! I, like you, wish I could experience my youthful days..." It almost seemed if a sparkle radiated from the man, much like what would be seen within the anime. Yaruka scoffed quietly at the thought, a concept crossing his mind, almost instantly, as he stared downwards at his own hands. They were as regular as he'd assume, no cartoonish outline, nor a visible live action appearance. He simply existed among them, as if nothing were out of the ordinary.

"I don't wish to, I _am_ experiencing it." Yaruka looked up from his hopeless daze. "But, I guess they brought out my childish side, yesterday. I'm actually an adult, I think you've been told, but I have somehow been placed in my thirteen year old self's appearance. I'm the same age as all the academy graduates, and it's somewhat been a dream of mine to train under the name of a ninja, coincidentally. But, in my world, there's no such thing, and now that I'm here I only assume that my chakra levels are absolutely empty. I want to train alongside Lee, once he's better, seeing we are the same. I want to match up to his skill, now that I'm here."

"Then, I'll train you - under Lord Third's orders - though, don't assume I'll go easy, even if you have the body of a youthful being." It seemed the senseis regular attitude had almost returned, though tinged with grief, despite the accident regarding Lee. The older man flashed a large grin, a thumbs up heading straight towards the childs face, who barely had the time to flinch.

"Oh..." The boy blinked, comprehending the hand only centimetres away from his nose. "Well, it's understandable. I may look like a child, but my stamina and such can still be the same as an adult's, right?" The older man straightened his demeanour, and agreed to a soft nod.

"Right. I was hoping to depart about now," Guy murmured, his eyes scanning downward at the child unkempt appearance, "but it looks as if..." Yaruka jumped at the words, reminded of how his hair stuck in multiple directions after waking up, and he still continued to sleep in Naruto's clothing for the third day in a row.

"Ah! Sorry! I'll go change immediately, I hope you don't mind waiting." The boy practically shouted as he sped off toward his bedroom, the door almost slamming behind him as he dug throughout the small pile of his belongings. From behind the walls, only a soft chuckle had been heard.

"How youthful..."

He rolled his eyes at the males response, and only pulled out his black turtle neck shirt, hopping across his room as he struggled to put on his new pair of grey shorts at the same time. From then, he shrugged his jacket on, no time being wasted as he scrambled out the door, and raced to the entrance of his apartment, which had already been occupied by Guy himself. Both males spent no expense of time pulling their shoes to their feet, before a small distance began to form between them and their final destination. His inability to be punctual reminded him of the moment before he arrived into this strange yet familiar world, having to throw on his clothes as he sprinted out the door, and how he'd been almost too late to meet with his transport. The thought of the woman he had promised to meet developed into a photograph within his mind, and soon his heart twisted guiltily, realising that if his reality carried on, she would have to conclude he stood her up, and perhaps delve into trust issues.

Yaruka's doubts began to force feed him lies, as to how the womans supposed meeting would end. At first, he thought of her only returning home, which had soon been crossed with visions of a car crash, or a kidnapping, or perhaps a case of sexual assault or murder. The boy shuddered, desperation clinging to his mind as he only wished to go home and live his boring life, though he was far more content than he should be as he sat under the comforts of his favourite characters, no matter their injuries, or their fates.

"How is Rock Lee? Is he well?" Yaruka broke the humble silence with a question, a polite inquisition toward the much older man. Guy only raised an eyebrow, a subtleness of a strictness lingering upon his playful demeanour.

"I thought you knew?" He hummed, his arms crossed tightly. The boy walking alongside him nodded, though fixed it with a shrug.

"Well, I do, but not in its entirety." The boy explained slowly, as if unsure of his phrased sentence. "I know what happens to him, though." At his last statement, Guy's lips upturned into a toothy grin.

"Ah! Is it my business to know?" The man leant forward, the emotion within his gaze unidentifiable, though it appeared clear he hoped for the better.

"I might destroy your universe, but he lives to be happy, I'll promise you that!" Yaruka returned the grin, a skip to his steps, before his burst of happiness cut itself short. A nauseous pang struck his belly, and he bent downward with a groan, his arms swinging to hug himself. The teacher paused for the moment, and knelt downward, a concerned palm against the boy's clothed back.

"Yaruka?" The man's voice grew softer, and rather fatherly to the boy's taste. Yaruka rose, though without the guidance of the other male, he would have surely fallen.

"It's okay, just a small price to pay for giving away the future, I suppose." The boy's voice held that of a wince, the pain residing, taking it's time to dissipate. "Can we... visit him once we return? I want to give him another flower, to help with his mentality, and I also need to apologise to a friend." He returned to the comforts of his feet, and within the radiance of a few steps, lowered his arms, the aching becoming tolerable. At least he hadn't needed to throw up that time. The teacher raised his thick brow once more to the childish figure, yet another toothy grin glued to his face.

"Ah! That Yamanaka girl, eh?" Yaruka only jumped at the girl's mention, and shook his head with a somewhat furiosity.

"What? Don't go around making weird guesses!" The boy's voice became somewhat of a yelp, and only earned a chuckle from the man.

"Ah, the joys of young love."

"I'm an adult, remember?" An increase of frustration began to appear through the form of a line between his brows.

"Sure, but your youthful spirit shows around her!"

"That means nothing, I just thought she needed a friend."

"You sound so much like a child..."

"Your idiocy is rubbing off on me!" Yaruka's voice cracked as he spoke with a raised volume, though Guy only laughed in response. The booming echo of merry happiness rung in the childlike figures ears, and the boy couldn't stand it. He shook his head, a squeal to his actions, as he burst into a sprint, heels dug deep into the dirt. His arms swung with his legs, which seemed to run on pure frustration, as the wind tackled tufts of hair behind his ears. Though he was short to slow down, as his moments of escape were met with doom once the teacher appeared directly in front of him. Yaruka forgot he could do that, and rammed face first into the male's chest. Guy burst into yet another fit of laughter, stumbling lightly, as he caught the boy in his hands. _He seems to think this is just play..._ Yaruka growled in his mind.

"No need to be angered, I'm only lightening the mood." The male chuckled apologetically.

"More than it needs to be!" Yaruka muttered with a humph, and only turned his head the other way. "By the way, just thought I should warn you, I think I still have the stamina of a child."

"We can work with that."

"But I wasn't a fit child."

"We can work with that!" The male stood with a thumbs up, before beckoning the boy to continue their brief journey. It hadn't taken long to discover the quiet field, which bore a beaten log in the very centre. Yaruka was quick to recognise the location, though made no effort to point it out. Guy only performed a stretch in a spacial spot, which Yaruka became eager to mirror, arms outstretched, and his body tilted. Soon after, he had been lead into a series of poses, and soon small exercises to get his own blood pumping. Though, no matter the encouragement emitting from Guy, he groaned at the pain stabbing his muscles. Seconds turned to minutes, and the teacher became prepared to train, guiding the boy through similar workouts Yaruka had witnessed Lee performing, and a somewhat frustration straddled his mind.

"Lee does this, do you want me to be like him?" Yaruka perked an eyebrow, which was somewhat thick, he noticed. The base of his brows began as a thin trail, though soon expanded into a mess of aligned black hair, and thanks to the thickness of his hair, if only it were short, he could almost become Lee's twin. He shuddered at the thought of a green jumpsuit.

"Of course not, but it's a wonderful place to start!"

"This might take a while..." Yaruka sighed, rubbing his arms.

"That's no attitude to have!"

"I don't have any ninja blood in me, I'm purely mundane."

"Let's start at one hundred push ups, easy peasy!"

"Oh boy..."


	9. Chapter 9

_Apologies for the slow updates, consistency will be assured further on. (21/02/2020)_

_A minimum of 3 chapters per week will be posted during the next month of March to make up for missing time._

**• CHAPTER NINE •**

Sweat pooled within his pores, thick droplets forming to dribble down the boy's forehead, tainting his thickening brows. A large, salty droplet allowed itself to perch by his eyes, and he shook his head furiously, attempting to unstick his hair from his forehead. His breath exceeded hastily, and he withdrew a painful sigh, his hands perched upon the base of his knees. Vexed with the idea, he growled at his poor estimate of his ability, and whined at his result, collapsing onto the greenery, as he once did during his first arrival. Only, the person available to help him had made his condition worse.

"This was a bad idea. A very bad idea." He allowed his eyes to flutter closed, tears sparking at the corners. Guy stood from a far end of the field, a hand outstretched and waving to approaching figures. Yaruka sat up at the gesture, leaning on the bruised ends of his elbows, to at least peak upon the minor distractions. A signature smile stretched across the older man's lips, and two child sized beings wandered into Yaruka's own view.

"Cheer up, Yaruka! I have called my students over to help with your training!" The child groaned at the response.

"Great, now I'm going to be judged by a Hyuga." He grumbled under his breath, surfacing his knees against his chest. He allowed his black hair to fall in front of his eyes, his ponytail loose and fallen over his thin figure. His gaze was met with a brown haired male, who only scoffed at him with a judging scowl.

"You're wasting our time with this?" The voices owner stood tall against the slumped child, his pale eyes cutting deep into Yaruka's insecurities. The black haired child huffed, and jerked his gaze from the others. The female beside the male only crossed her arms, though shot a protruding glance to the insulter.

"I'm new to this whole ninja thing, but I'm not that big of a waste of time, Mr. Neji." Yaruka stood from where he perched himself, his bruised legs wobbling from under his weight. Both figures cocked their head with somewhat curiosity, their brows raised. The hyuga only turned his glare, closing his eyes with a flushed scoff.

"Mr... Neji?" A flustered voice muttered.

"I'm from a city where ninja training isn't exactly encouraged. I don't know what Guy is planning, calling you out here like this, but I hope you at least respect my dedication to learning an entirely new skill." Yaruka's hands met with his hips, espite the achiness to even raising his own limbs. The girl only nodded to his plight, and bent her hips to learn forward, a smile at her lips.

"So, if you didn't grow up learning to fight, why start now?" Yaruka had decided he liked her voice the moment she spoke.

"There's something I need to accomplish."

"You didn't say anything about a goal beforehand." Guy reminded them of his presence as he approached, brows lowered and creased, though his head had been cocked to the side. Yaruka only shrugged, a twinge of pain stinging at his muscles, and he tended to it with a hiss.

"It's not something I need to tell." He only muttered stubbornly, his glare at the batted grass below him. The teacher didn't speak, an obvious thought running through his mind. The silence hadn't been interrupted until the girl cleared her throat, all but the Hyuga meeting her gaze.

"Aren't you going to introduce us, Guy Sensei?" Guy only jumped at her suggestion.

"Ah, why of course!" He raised a hand, and sauntered to meet beside the boy, his arm hanging over the childs thin shoulders." This is Yaruka Musuru, he will be training under our wing for the time being." He explained the situation briefly with a grin, of course hiding the necessary due to terms of confidentiality, and only spoke of the boy visiting in search of becoming a ninja.

"Ah, I'm Tenten, and this is Neji." The girl waved, though was quick to pull him away from the men. "Don't let Guy Sensei trick you into getting his haircut, yeah?" She lowered her voice to a whisper, a teasing glint swimming in her pale brown eyes. Yaruka knew she had been joking, yet a concern had risen, and he only whispered in return.

"You think he'll try and do that?" His raised a hand to intertwine with his own black hair, becoming aware of his wide brows, which very easily matched the features of Lee and Guy himself.

"What are you two whispering about?" Guy's voice echoed, and the two spun to his attention with a giggle.

**•****•****•**

"Your form is sloppy." The hyuga hissed, his own position sharp and defined, arms raised and legs separated.

"I only started a few hours ago!" Yaruka growled in return, stumbling back from the force of the other male. He wiped a bloodied spot from across his cheek, where the Hyuga had punched him, and only whined at the touch. Tenten hummed from behind, her foot nudging slightly at Yaruka's own.

"Try and put your right foot a little more forward." She encouraged, steadying the struggling males form, just a bit.

"Like this?"

"Better! Now, try and kick me." She stood backwards, hands raised against her chest, where she signalled the kick to land. Yaruka nodded, inhaling a sharp breath for a brief moment, before allowing his leg to swing toward the girl. It became difficult to lift it, though he made the effort, despite it being shot down once she caught him by the ankle. He lost his balance at the contact, his planted foot slipping from its spot in the grass, which allowed him to tumble helplessly to the dirt. His head thumped against the surface, and he only groaned in response, harboured tears falling down his cheeks.

"Keep your leg tucked in before you extend it." She instructed, releasing his ankle, and crouching beside his heaving body.

"It's harder than you said it was!" He cried, his chest rising and falling with every heaving breath.

"These are only the warm ups!" Tenten giggled, outstretching a hand toward the boy, who accepted it lazily. She tugged at his figure, hoisting him to his feet with a verified strength, that Yaruka couldn't help but feel jealous of. The girl pointed back toward the Hyuga, who watched with a smug grin.

"Try and hit Neji over there."

"Are you trying to send me to my death?" Yaruka hissed under his breath, leaning against the girl to stabilise his balance.

"It's okay, Yaruka, how about we stop for lunch?" Guy rose from where he observed, two plastic bags hanging from his clenched fists. Yaruka sprung at the words, eagerly stumbling toward the older man, earning a soft laughter from the girl.

"Lunch? Where are we going to eat?" His dry mouth watered just by the mention, and his head swam with lunch ideas. Perhaps, he could convince them to get ramen. Guy only laughed his mighty laugh, and tossed a small box from within the bag to the chest of the boy. Yaruka frowned.

"Here! I had Neji and Tenten bring over some food." He hummed, pulling out another set of small boxes, and handed them to his students. Yaruka sighed, knowing well this was so he wouldn't get distracted from his training, which he so obviously dreaded.

"Oh, and we're gonna get back to training straight after?" He murmured, taking his place upon a nearby fallen log, which had been battered from his practice kicks.

"You got it!" Guy sat beside him, as well as Neji on the opposite side, whereas tenten perched herself upon the floor, balancing the bento on her knees.

"Ah, well, pardon me, but may we please sit quietly a little longer, after? I'm not used to this, I feel like I'm about to break." Yaruka sighed, cracking the lid open, and becoming easily distracted by the warm smell. He allowed Guy to think for a moment, before he responded with a nod.

"I suppose we can sit for a little longer. But, for now, let's eat!" He grinned, as the others followed his actions of opening the lunchboxes.

"Thank you for the meal." The boy clapped his hands together, and began to eat, shoving in a few large bites before Tenten interrupted his silent peace.

"So, how about you tell us something, Yaruka?" She asked, her eyes raised to the boy from below, as she ate with somewhat of a casual grace.

"Huh? Tell you what?" He cocked a brow.

"Something about yourself, like where your mysterious village is."

"Ah, well, I don't think I can tell that much. But it's quite sophisticated, and very far away. It's also quite big, so we always travel through a means of transport, even when going to someone else's house." The students eyed him warily.

"What? What do you mean _I don't think I can tell you that much_?" The girl scoffed, shuffling forward, as if edging him to mention more, than just a pitiful amount of information.

"He's under the hokage's review, Tenten." Guy explained, his mouth very full.

"Yes, so I can't exactly say a lot about myself. Please accept my apology."

"Tch, where's this sudden polite attitude coming from?" Neji scoffed from beside him, and Yaruka decided he had enough with the Hyuga's current pompous personality.

"Your ass." At the boys words, Neji lunged at him, hands reaching for the neck. Perhaps the countless insults Yaruka shot him hours before hadn't been the right kind of build up. Guy pulled the boys away from the other in a swift move.

"Enough! We will sit down, and eat. Yaruka, I expected more." His disappointment could almost be expressed physically, and Yaruka lowered his gaze, a snicker echoing from Tenten.

"Sorry, sir."

"Move over, you two just can't seem to sit next to each other."

"You don't seem to know who you're playing with." Tenten leaned toward sulking boy, as she knelt upon her knees.

"I'm perfectly aware. He's a Hyuga, I might as well just dig myself a grave now."

"Then why?"

"It's fun!"

"_What_?"

"Pardon me, I just didn't have much time to behave as a child, and I kind of miss it."

"See! The power of youth!" Guy interrupted, forgetting the disappointment with a wide grin.

"Yes, Guy, I believe you may be right."

"Don't encourage him." Tenten sighed.

"Well, let's get back to training, yeah?" Yaruka stood from where he sat, having enough of the meal, and perhaps becoming somewhat motivated to try again, even if they did eat for such a short time, despite his request.


End file.
